Chrysanthemum plant named Wall Street

ABSTRACT

An anemone type Chrysanthemum named Wall Street, having the unique combination of essentially pure white mature ray floret color and a large disc cushion which at maturity is a dark pink or red, with a very dark red center. The combination of the large, dark pink-red cushion with the white ray florets is unique and highly attractive.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum morifolium, hereinafter referred to by the cultivar nameWall Street.

Wall Street is a product of a planned breeding program which had theobjective of creating new Chrysanthemum cultivars having singlecapitulum type, pink-white ray florets, dark pink flower center, lowtemperature tolerance, and the ability to produce commerciallyacceptable quality in year around cut mum programs. Such traits incombination were not present or needed improvements in previouslyavailable commercial cultivars.

Wall Street was originated from a hybridization made by applicant in acontrolled breeding program in De Lier, Holland in 1984. The femaleparent was Lireley, an unpatented and non-commercial variety. The maleparent of Wall Street was Penny Lane, a cultivar of applicant disclosedin a pending application.

Wall Street was discovered and selected as one flowering plant withinthe progeny of the stated parentage by Jacques C. M. Van der Knaap inSeptember 1984 in a controlled environment in De Lier, Holland.

The first act of asexual reproduction of Wall Street was accomplishedwhen vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection inNovember 1984 in a controlled environment in De Lier, Holland by atechnician working under formulations established and supervised byJacques C. M. Van der Knaap. Horticultural examination of selected unitsinitiated in April 1985 has demonstrated that the combination ofcharacteristics as herein disclosed for Wall Street are firmly fixed andare retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

Wall Street has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light, intensity, and day length. Thefollowing observations, measurements and comparisons describe plantsgrown in De Lier, Holland under greenhouse conditions which approximatethose generally used in commercial practice.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of Wall Street, which in combinationdistinguish this Chrysanthemum as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Flat capitulum form.

2. Anemone flower type.

3. Pink-white ray florets, with dark pink disc cushion, producing anextremely attractive inflorescence.

4. Diameter across the face of the capitulum 55-65 mm.

5. Dark pink or red (immature) disc florets which become somewhatlighter pink-red at maturity, with the peripheral discs turning white toyellow.

Of the many commercial cultivars known to the present inventor, the mostsimilar in comparison to Wall Street is Penny Lane, disclosed in apending application of applicant. In comparison to Penny Lane, WallStreet has more vigor, a longer response time, smaller and darker greenleaves, and a darker and substantially larger disc floret area ofred-pink color. The capitulum form and capitulum type are similar tothose same characteristics of Penny Lane.

The accompanying photographic drawing shows in perspective view thetypical inflorescence and foliage characteristics of Wall Street, withcolors being as nearly true as possible with illustrations of this type.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart. The color values were determinedbetween 11:00-12:00 a.m. in June 1986 under natural daylight at De Lier,Holland.

Classification:

Botanical.--Chrysanthemum morifolium, Ramat., cv. Wall Street.

Commercial.--Cut daisy spray.

INFLORESCENCE

A. Capitulum:

Form.--Flat.

Type.--Daisy.

Diameter across face.--55-65 mm.

B. Corolla of ray florets:

Color (general tonality from a distance of three meters).--Pinkish whitewith red-pink center.

Color (upper surface).--Under conditions of high light such as latespring in the Netherlands (when the photographic drawing was taken)immature florets are infused with reddish tones of color ranging from183A to 186A, with the tinging decreasing but still evident and becominglighter in color when the flowers are fully open; under low lightconditions, little or no tinging occurs and the ray florets areessentially white.

C. Corolla of disc florets:

Color (mature).--Center remains dark, approximately 60A-B, with graduallightening towards periphery, with 60C and 60D appearing; edge of disccushion approaches white, and a few yellow disc florets are also presentat the periphery of the cushion.

Color (immature).--Dark red-purple 60A-B, with some lightening atperiphery.

D. Reproductive organs:

Androecium.--Present only in disc florets; numerous.

Gynoecium.--Present in both disc and ray florets, numerous.

PLANT

A. General appearance:

Height.--80 cm.

B. Foliage:

Color (upper surface).--137A.

Color (under surface).--137C.

Shape.--Margins deeply indented.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named Wall Street, as described and illustrated, and parts thereof. 